Edition 10 2017 a Solid Foundation

SMART SURFACES: SMART ENGINEERING: A MAGIC HAT FOR SHIPS THE BEST PROCESS FOR MMA

ELEMENTSOCTOBER 2017 # 60

A SOLID FOUNDATION* ELEMENTS #60 OCTOBER 2017

THE INNOVATION MAGAZINE Creativity moves the world forward. And Evonik translates Nothing is so perfect that creativity into innovative products. As one of the world’s leading specialty chemicals companies, we filed 350 patent you can’t improve it. applications last year alone. This innovative ingenuity makes us a development partner of choice for all industries. The fruits of our collaboration include more effective drugs, more stable bridges, more efficient wind turbines and more environmentally friendly cars. In a nutshell, we transform chemistry into tomorrow’s products.

www.better-with-evonik.com

Business Line is focusing “Expert Circle” to rate the innovative strength of on food supplements 2,000 German companies. 16 Guest Commentary We are delighted to be acknowledged in this Dr. Heribert Watzke on way, because innovation is essential for our bioactive ingredients company. We need it to expand our existing 20 Methacrylates business and also to open up new markets. For How energy and raw

materials can be saved in example, the Performance Materials Segment,

MMA production one of the leading providers of methacrylate

24 Portrait monomers, has developed a new process for New member of the methacrylate. Tests in a pilot plant show that Evonik Executive Board: this process sets new standards for the efficient How Dr. Harald Schwager

sees innovation use of resources. The Nutrition & Care Segment has entered the attractive market for food 3 26 Research Funding Why publicly funded projects supplements to participate in the market’s are so important growth with Advanced Food Ingredients. The

28 Entrepreneurship early results are very promising. How Evonik employees can Whether it’s a new process or a new market, implement their ideas innovation will always work best with people 34 LIKAT Rostock who see a challenge and opportunities where What makes a 20-year others see problems and obstacles. To heighten collaboration possible and successful awareness in this area, we have once again presented our Entrepreneurship Award. The 14 Data Mining Anthocyanins 17 Company News winner, Dr. Sarah Hintermayer, has one year 30 Corporate Foresight and a budget of €200,000 to further develop her Life extension idea. At the same time, she can become familiar 32 Professionals with the lean startup methodology, which Prof. Stefan Pelzer 38 Wishlist relies on early customer contact and, as a result, Prof. Christine Lang and earlier market entry. This agility is becoming Prof. Joachim von Braun increasingly important as our environment 39 Book Tips | Masthead becomes ever more dynamic. Our goal is an ambitious one: to be one of the most innovative companies not only in Germany but worldwide. Photography p. 3: Mike Hagen, Dirk Bannert, Dirk Evonik Hagen, Mike 3: p. Photography

Feedback Prof. Stefan Pelzer values the freedom he Tell us your opinion of has at Evonik. Page 32 elements:

Cover and back cover: Shutterstock cover: and back Cover [email protected]

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

Kunde: EVO-CM-029-17 | Motiv: Bessermacher Anzeige, englische Version, Copy „Fachpublikum und Wirtschaftsentscheider“, Motiv Känguru Format: 230 x 300 mm | Beschnitt: 0 mm | Farbprofil: ISO Coated v2 (ECI) (CMYK) | Titel: elements, englische Ausgabe | Bearbeitet: mr | Stand: 01.09.2017 4 M damage microorganisms before these these before microorganisms damage und ship of the biocide cloud around kind Here form a ship’s they of the hull. surface at the arrive and matrix out coating of the dissolved are toxic active which substances in process on aleaching based is functioning Its coating. a biocide-containing is hull the for protecting far so known method fective ef most The achallenge. is coating right the forsearch the But of biofouling. ative effects neg counteract the and organisms marine antifouling coatings prevent the settling These of biofouling. from hulls ships’ protect year. every tons metric 270 million of moresions than CO to rise gives biofilm Even a thin affected: also is climate the And companies. for shipping costs high in result sumption con fuel increased cycles and maintenance Short repairs. and dock for cleaning dry the in more spells need frequent ships that so es of corrosionincreas risk the and reduced is ships of the maneuverability the addition, In by up to percent. 30 consumption fuel raises encrustation even slight that indicate ies CO in rise associated an with fuel, and more energy needs of ship travel, the speed same the tain to which, main in circle avicious is result movement. The during resistance frictional in increase to adrastic leads to biofouling due hull’s of the surface roughening icant world’s on 1) the ships (Fig. seas movement the of or negatively, hindering positively one another with interact cies spe hundred several which plex in habitats shell. on the settle also then that organisms marine attract they nutrients, As water.sea with contact first its after seconds mere to hull the themselves attach ocean the from micronutrients other and bohydrates, car for Proteins, concern. cause particular waterline, is the under hull on the growths animal and by plant caused Biofouling, sels. the ves of theshell on heavily fleet depends merchant global of the viability mercial ther Michael Dr. Stefan Silber, Dr. Dr. and Fiedel, Michael Gün ships plying the world’s the com The plying ships oceans. Demand is therefore high for coatings that that for therefore coatings is high Demand com highly are formed thus The biofilms 2 (Fig. 2) (Fig. emissions by more than 50,000by more than carried are worldwide all goods transported go; percent 90 nearly of car for preference first aritime transport is the effects are discernible. effects Bye-bye to barnacles: barnacles: to Bye-bye biofouling before the the before biofouling from Evonik prevent . Current stud . Current Coating solutions . The signif . The 2 emis ------GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ANTIFOULING Photography:: Shutterstock Graphic: C3 Visual Lab Biofouling increases both frictional resistance and fuel consumption and therefore CO and consumption and fuel therefore resistance Biofouling frictional both increases biofouling of effects The 2: Figure reduces the maneuverability of ships. the maneuverability reduces for other organisms, and a biofilm is formed. is abiofilm and organisms, other for nourishment as serve These ship’s the hull. on settle microorganisms water, with contact after seconds Just form 1: How biofilms Figure ELEMENTS #60 Substrate Engine Fuel Conditioning Shaftpower Reversible adhesion Reversible THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE film CO 2 Seconds Non-adherent bacteria Propeller Environment (wind and and (wind weather) Adherent Adherent bacteria Seconds

Boost Boost – Minutes Bacterial Bacterial Wave making biofilm (hull shape) Resistance

Irreversible adhesion Irreversible microalgae spores Bacteria, diatoms, Bacteria, –Days Hours (hull surface) Boost Friction

invertebrates and invertebrates invertebrates Macroalgae, larva of larva Macroalgae, 2 emissions, and emissions, –Month Days Speed GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ANTIFOULING GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ANTIFOULING A CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY FOR SHIPS Evonik already has effective solutions for antifouling coatings in its portfolio. The Group’s researchers are now working on new coatings for effective protection of ship hulls against biofouling that use fewer biocides, or even dispense with these altogether.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ANTIFOULING

can settle on the hull. Among the best- Smart Surface found. In the absence of suitable alterna- known of the biocides is tributyltin hydride Solutions tives, therefore, biocides are still used in (TBT), an organometallic complex of tin. But The Smart Surface antifouling coatings. The active agent of there’s a problem here: Investigations have Solutions Competence choice today is copper oxide, which is re- Center focuses on ma- revealed that the toxicity of the biocides is terials and coatings that garded as more eco-friendly than TBT and not confined to organisms at the hull’s sur- improve the corrosion acts on the same leaching principle. But it face but extends also to other species in the control, anti-icing, too is a heavy metal oxide and the copper sea. Even a low TBT concentration, for ex- easy-clean, antimicro- ions dissolving out from the coating can bial, and antifouling ample, interferes with shell growth in Pa- properties of surfaces. be toxic in high concentrations. And so the cific rock oysters. In snails and other species search continues for a new and better anti- TBT induces imposex, a condition in which fouling solution. female animals develop male sex organs and vice versa, so that reproduction is no Coatings without biocides longer possible and the species is in danger This is where Evonik comes into the picture. of extinction. The Coating Additives Business Line is in To protect marine organisms, therefore, the process of establishing a Smart Surface the use of TBT-based underwater paints is Solutions Competence Center to resolve banned worldwide, and no biocides based open questions in coating technology. The on toxic tin, arsenic, or mercury com- team also plans to develop an eco-friend- pounds may be used. This has spurred the ly alternative, entirely without biocides, to search for alternatives that are equally ef- the current antifouling solutions. Here the 400different species are responsible for the fective but also eco-friendly—but despite researchers are putting their existing ex- fouling of ship hulls. considerable efforts an entirely satisfacto- pertise in the area of silicones to good use. ry solution to the problem has not yet been Evonik has in its portfolio a silicone-epoxy hybrid resin system, SILIKOPON® EF, whose anti-adhesive action makes it dif- ficult right from the start for organisms to settle. This is due to the very low surface tension and extremely smooth surface of the hybrid. Organisms like algae, bivalves, and barnacles have difficulty adhering to this surface. Even if they do initially succeed, the smooth surface is easily cleared 6 because the organisms become detached by the water stream once the ship starts to move, even at slow speeds. As an added plus, SILIKOPON® EF has high mechanical and chemical resistance, which prevents long-term corrosion damage.

Figure 3: Combining the benefits

Using a curing catalyst, scientists bind hydrophobic silicone to a hydrophilic polymer.

OR OROR -OR Si RO- hydrophilic -OR polymer Si hydrophobic OR OR silicone OR

Curing catalyst

Silicone hybrid Substrate

Figure 4: Protection against biofouling

In the new system, hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains alternate. Organisms can no longer clearly recognize the surface.

hydrophobic domain

hydrophilic Biofouling on hulls caus- polymers es problems for ships. Amphiphilic hybrid resin Substrate

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ANTIFOULING GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ANTIFOULING

The experts Ships will need to visit the dry dock less often.

Dr. Stefan Silber heads Innovation Man- agement at Coating Additives. stefan.silber @evonik.com

Dr. Michael Fiedel is responsible for The researchers want to exploit these ad- experts suspend variously coated test plates Global Synthesis in the area of Research & vantages and add another property: The AEROSIL® VP in the sea; in this “growth period” for bio- Development in the new coating should prevent organisms from 4200 dispersed fouling, the tendency to fouling is at its peak Coating Additives adhering to the hull because they cannot in a system and the rate at which growths will develop Business Line.

recognize the surface as such. For this pur- containing Cu2O under real conditions becomes clear. Only michael.fiedel pose the scientists are combining the hy- then is it possible for the researchers to reli- @evonik.com drophobic silicone with a hydrophilic poly- ably assess the efficacy of new formulations. mer (Fig. 3) to produce what are known as This is why Evonik is not only developing amphiphilic polymers, in which hydrophi- a completely new solution but is working lic and hydrophobic areas alternate. The hy- concurrently on improving existing anti- drophilic areas form a film of water around fouling coatings. 7 the polymer that masks the surface to the Researchers of the Coating Additives Dispersion without organisms. These can then no longer unam- VP 4200 Business Line have, for example, developed biguously identify the surface as such, and a hydrophilic structurally modified AERO- Dr. Günther Michael prefer not to settle on it (Fig. 4). The resear- SIL® that significantly improves the effica- is head of Product chers are exploiting a natural precept here: cy and service life of antifouling coatings. Development for Living beings always seek out the most fa- Coatings manufacturers can formulate the rheology at Coating vorable habitat for reproduction. product, marketed as VP 4200, in combi- Additives. nation with copper oxide to enhance the guenther.michael Decreasing costs action of the latter. VP 4200 promotes se- @evonik.com The researchers are well on the way to find- Dispersion with ten curing of the copper oxide to the substrate ing a solution. They have been able to show percent VP 4200 and reinforces the coating film, toughen- in tests that the novel coatings are not toxic ing it and thus making the copper oxide and have an efficacy comparable with that of available over a longer period. If the liquid binder systems already used on the market. coating contains ten percent VP 4200, ef- A further aim now is to improve the dura- fective protection against biofouling can be bility and protective effect of a coating based achieved with a significantly lower copper on them. The researchers are optimistic that oxide content of about six percent; this is 80

Graphic: C3 Visual Lab Graphic: they will soon be able to increase the time percent less than in conventional formula- intervals between reapplying the coatings. tions, which normally contain 30 percent or In this way, shipping companies would be more copper oxide. able to reduce maintenance costs for ships as well as overcoming the other disadvantages of fouling. To achieve this, the researchers are using various test methods to further optimize the coatings. In collaboration with the University of Münster, new screening tests have been developed that allow predic- tion of the antifouling performance of the coatings after only six weeks. If a coating already shows undesirable toxic properties in the initial laboratory test, it is rejected or the formulation is revised. If, on the other hand, it is promising, it is tested in the sea.

Photography: Shutterstock (4), Frank Preuß (2), Stefan Wildhirt, (2) Evonik Stefan (2), Preuß Frank (4), Shutterstock Photography: Every year between March and October the

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Nutrition and lifestyle can improve health to at least some extent. Photography: iStock Photography:

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS

FOCUSING ON EFFICACY The market for food supplements is also a factor, particularly for strokes. In other words, many people, particularly in is growing. And Evonik, a relative- industrialized nations, could improve their ly new player in this space, plans to health to at least some extent by making changes in their diet and lifestyle. participate in this growth by offering Moreover, the Internet has opened up ac- products with scientifically proven cess to health-related knowledge. A huge number of websites now provide informa- health benefits. tion on diseases and their causes, and people are increasingly searching the Web to research health problems and their origins. Dr. Thomas Hermann and Dr. Ludger Eilers Increasing awareness mma Morano lived to the age of of health issues 117, and just prior to her death There is also buoyant demand for health- 9 in April 2017, she was believed related smartphone apps, and an expanding to be the oldest living person on range of products to meet it. There are apps earth. The Italian attributed her that count the number of steps taken each longevity to eating two raw eggs day, calculate required daily calorie intake, every day. It was a habit she acquired in her and warn when the threshold is exceeded. Eearly twenties on the advice of a physician They monitor heart rates during exercise treating her for anemia. Over her lifetime, and track blood sugar levels. They remind she likely consumed more than 65,000 uova users to take their medication and tell them crude in total. how well they slept. According to a study by Whether this idiosyncratic diet really did Research 2 Guidance, more than 100,000 safeguard Emma Morano’s health is hard to health apps were on offer in 2015, generat- prove. However, the 2015 Global Burden of ing some three billion downloads. Fifty-six Disease study, published in The Lancet, in- percent of these apps were related to health dicates that there is a link between lifestyle, and fitness; the remaining 44 percent were health, and life expectancy. International in the medical category. teams of researchers looked at the health of Growing awareness of health issues and the world’s population, and observed a rise our determination to remain healthy into in average life expectancy from 61.7 in 1980 old age are fueling our guilt over poor nu- to 71.8 in 2015. However, there is a downside trition and convenience foods. Against this to this positive development: statistically, a background, demand is growing for food person born in 2015 can expect to live to a supplements: vitamins, minerals, omega-3 mean age of 71.8. But on average he or she fatty acids and probiotics, antioxidants, and will only be healthy for 63.1 of those years. proteins. In the US, for example, 72 percent of consumers take at least one food supple- Non-communicable illnesses ment regularly, and 80 percent of physicians on the rise recommend them to their patients. A major The analysis also suggests that non-com- factor is the patchy nature of the US health- municable illnesses, such as heart disease, care system: Some 50 million Americans do strokes, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and not have health insurance and, according to dementia, are on the rise, and already ac- estimates from non-profit organization RIP count for seven out of ten deaths. Among Medical Debt, 43 million Americans have the greatest health risks identified were el- delinquent debt due to unpaid medical bills. evated blood pressure, nicotine consump- There is therefore strong interest in prevent- tion, high blood sugar, and obesity. A diet ing diseases instead of relying on curative low in fruit and vegetables or high in salt measures.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS

The global market for food supplements fat among the local population. A Europe- is already worth more than 50 billion euros, an with a BMI of just under 25 is regarded and is projected to expand by five to seven as within the normal weight range; a Chi- percent annually between now and 2021. nese with the same index, by contrast, has a Evonik intends to be an active player in this significantly higher risk of contracting di- market, and about two years ago defined abetes, according to the Harvard School of Advanced Food Ingredients (i.e. naturally Public Health. occurring substances whose efficacy has been proven in independent scientific stud- Well placed for ies) as one of its six innovation growth fields, market success with the strong intent to build significant Although Evonik only entered the food sup- new business. Together, the six innovation plements market recently, it is by no means Under the name AvailOm®, Evonik is currently growth fields are expected to generate ad- starting from scratch. The Nutrition & Care introducing omega-3 complexes to the market. ditional sales revenues of at least one billion Segment has extensive technological, reg- euros by 2025. ulatory, and marketing expertise of direct Health Care Business Line was chosen to be A focus on specific areas is key to a scien- relevance to food supplements. the incubator for Evonik’s Advanced Food tifically sound approach and credible brand The Health Care Business Line, for in- Ingredients innovation growth field. identity. For this reason, Evonik has select- stance, has a broad range of capabilities in But how does one develop a new business ed a handful of health conditions it wishes process development and manufacturing when competing with powerful incumb to concentrate on. They include cardiovas- based on organic chemistry and/or bio- ents? Advanced Food Ingredients’ goal is to cular health, cognitive health, and diabetes technology. Furthermore, Health Care’s become a leading solution provider, with an prevention—all of which are, according to core competencies include securing regu- emphasis on selected health areas and for- the Global Burden of Disease study, becom- latory approval for new products, ensuring ward integration activities. This strategy is ing ever more important. In 2015, nearly 18 operating facilities are compliant with in- based on five core elements: first, a focus on million people died of cardiovascular dis- ternational pharma and food standards, and ingredients with scientifically proven effi- eases, and 1.5 million of diabetes; this is a purification of ingredients to the standards cacy and, second, on clearly defined health hike of more than 30 percent in fatalities necessary for medical nutrition or infant fields; third, differentiation via innovation due to diabetes in just ten years. formula—plus execution of clinical studies. (not imitation); fourth, the establishment The risk of developing diabetes has risen The Business Line’s EUDRAGUARD® and of a product portfolio combining in-house significantly in Asian countries, and partic- EUDRATEC® formulation technologies developments with partnered, in-licensed ularly sharply in China, where, according to improve the bioavailability of active sub- and acquired solutions; and last but not the International Diabetes Foundation, the stances and ingredients by delivering them least, the inherent ability to select the best, 10 condition affects 11.6 percent of all adults. In to the right place in the human body at most rewarding path to market, either B2B fact, a remarkable 60 percent of the world’s the right time. Additionally, the biological or B2C. In other words, the business will not diabetics live in the Middle Kingdom. This knowledge and methodological expertise concentrate exclusively on selling to man- marked prevalence is attributed to genetics, of Evonik’s Animal Nutrition Business Line ufacturers of food supplements, but will changing lifestyles and diet due to greater help identify correlations between nutrition also—when the conditions are right—di- prosperity, plus a higher percentage of body and health. For these reasons and more, the rectly target consumers in selected areas. Innovation rather than imitation The strategic emphasis on innovation rather Products related to health than on imitation means that Evonik will Evonik’s portfolio in the Advanced Food Ingredients innovation growth field currently includes formula- refrain from manufacturing and marketing tion technologies, ingredients, and the nutritional supplement MEDOX®. products that are already firmly established on the market, such as vitamins and minerals already available from multiple suppli-

Brain health: PentaQQ™ ers. This also applies to basic omega-3 fatty Eye health: Healthberry® 865, MEDOX® acids—which are typically found in fish oil Taste and odor masking: capsules or, as a vegan alternative, in algal EUDRAGUARD® protect and natural oil capsules. The solid omega-3 complexes recently developed by Evonik, by contrast, are opening up genuine and considerable opportunities. Heart health: PentQQ™, Healthberry® 865, MEDOX® These solid, free-flowing products are as -ef fective as oily omega-3 fatty acids, i.e. they Liver health: L-Ornithine HCL protect against cardiovascular disease and Gastro retention: EUDRAGUARD® GRS reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and other

Colonic delivery: EUDRAGUARD® biotic dementia-causing diseases in the elderly, Gastric resistance: EUDRAGUARD® control as demonstrated in numerous studies. A key advantage is that the omega-3 Inflammation: Healthberry® 865, MEDOX® complexes can be formulated in a solid dosage form, such as tablets or pellets. These are much easier to manufacture than soft gel capsules. This means that large fish oil capsules can be replaced by smaller tablets with the same omega-3 fatty acid content. These are easier to swallow and do not leave

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS

Since fish oil as a feed additive is scarce, farmed fish contains less and less omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 complexes from Evonik can prevent the effects of a deficiency.

an unpleasant fishy odor. Another benefit is that solid omega-3 complexes can be mixed easily with other solid ingredients such as vitamins, minerals or anthocyanins, some thing that is not possible with liquid omega-3 products. What is more, the bioavailability of omega-3 complexes is three to five times higher than for conventional glycerides. This latter feature is reflected in Evonik´s brand name: AvailOm®. The AvailOm® omega-3 complexes are now being launched in the US and first sales have already been generated. Reg- ulatory approval is currently being sought in Europe. This project was initiated in the New Business Development unit within the Nutrition & Care Segment and was sub- sequently transferred to the Health Care Business Line for finalization of develop- 11 ment, market launch, and marketing. The Health Care Business Line currently offers manufacturers the following ingredients: the REXIVA® amino acid range, Healthberry® 865 berry extract, as well as PentaQQ™. PentaQQ™, an in-house development, contains pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), also known as methoxatin. This compound occurs naturally in very small amounts in foodstuffs such as fermented soybeans and green peppers. Multiple studies have demonstrated that PQQ has a beneficial impact on human cells and fosters the growth of mitochondria. Food supplements containing PQQ are taken to safeguard cognitive abilities. In addition to new ingredients, Evonik’s Advanced Food Ingredients portfolio includes EUDRAGUARD®-branded formulation technologies and the nutritional supplement MEDOX®. EUDRAGUARD® enables the intelligent coating of ingredients. This allows the controlled release at the ideal lo- cation in the gastrointestinal tract with the right time profile to increase bioavailability. Coatings can also be engineered to mask ingredient taste and odor, or to protect them from moisture. Graphic: C3 Visual Lab Graphic: In particular, the sugar substitute isomalt, branded as Risumalt®, is suitable for the formulation of diabetic products. It is at present being manufactured at a pilot plant in Thailand by a recently established joint venture between Evonik and Rajburi,

Photography: Evonik, iStock Evonik, Photography: a local Thai company. The facility utilizes

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS

a new production process that ensures Healthberry® 865 and the food supplement Intake exceptionally high energy efficiency (see MEDOX®, both containing anthocyanins. recommended elements 59). This process was developed by MEDOX® is targeted directly at consumers. Creavis, Evonik’s strategic innovation unit. The Norwegian Heart MedPalett is able to market MEDOX® via on- and Lung Association line sales channels, adding a further arrow Gaining new skills recommends the to Evonik’s bow. In addition to higher-value regular intake of through acquisitions Healthberry® 865. participation and direct consumer feedback, An additional aspect of Evonik’s strate- this allows ingredients for new dietary sup- gy is to expand its portfolio and skill set plements to be tested with consumers. Proven efficacy via acquisitions. In March 2016, for in- MedPalett originally marketed this sup- Anthocyanins are stance, Evonik purchased MedPalett AS, plement in Norway only. Supported by flavonoids, and are a Norwegian company that specializes in Evonik’s worldwide presence, that is now responsible for the food supplements containing anthocya- changing. MEDOX® was launched in Swe- (pH-dependent) red, nins—known for their natural antioxidant den in early 2017 to immediate success. This blue or violet color of fruits and vegetables. properties. A large number of internation- was followed by a first foray into the very The anthocyanins in al studies testify to diverse health benefits, promising Asian market, with the product’s Healthberry® 865 and including prevention of cardiovascular dis- introduction in China, the country with the MEDOX® have been ease and type-2 diabetes. highest increase in type-2 diabetes any- studied at universities The acquisition has extended Evonik’s where in the world, in summer 2017. In the and university hospi- ® tals, and at pharmaceu- product range to include the berry extract third quarter of 2017, MEDOX will be rolled tical companies in Eu- rope, Canada, the US, and China. They were subject to independent clinical cell line tests and randomized placebo-controlled double-blind studies on humans and animals. All of these studies concluded that the anthocyanins in Health- berry® 865 promote health and prevent cardiovascular diseases and type-2 diabetes. 12 A study performed by a team supervised by Prof. Dag Aarsland (then at the Alzhei- mer’s Disease Research Center of the famous Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, and now at King’s College, London, UK) shows, moreover, that the anthocyanins in MEDOX® protect brain cells by various biological mechanisms against processes that contribute to dementia. The Alzheimer’s Dis- ease Research Center will now conduct a placebo-controlled clinical study to establish whether MEDOX® can prevent memory loss in elderly people with heightened risk of dementia.

The blueberries used in MEDOX® are picked in the forests of northern Sweden.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS

out to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in cooperation with Evonik Digital GmbH. In fact, tens of thousands of customers already buy the food supplement by sub- scription. In the first 15 months following the purchase of MedPalett, the number of subscribers rose by an impressive 20 percent. This underlines Evonik’s ability to seamlessly integrate new businesses and to accelerate their growth. Evonik also safe- guards the agility of the acquired organization—and this is a paramount attribute in light of fast-changing markets and dynamic consumer trends. Understanding consumer needs Evonik’s consumer-centric approach will enable it to understand the market from both sides—from the perspective of manu- With the launch of MEDOX® in Germany, facturers and of consumers—increasing its the company will again break new ground: responsiveness to changing imperatives. A A smartphone app is currently being joint- pivotal role is played by an online platform ly developed by the Health Care Business that allows consumers to buy MEDOX® with Line and Nutrition & Care New Business point-and-click simplicity. The platform is Development that will provide consumers supported by social media activities and a with information on MEDOX® properties customer service center, providing expert and the findings of corresponding studies. guidance to consumers and other stake- And that is just the beginning. Plans exist, holders. Scandinavia is relatively sparsely for example, to enhance the app’s functio- populated, and pharmacies can be few and nality to monitor health improvements after far between. As a result, the response to taking MEDOX®. the implemented model has been extreme- Evonik is also pressing ahead with the ly positive. In addition, these avenues give development and launch of other products, Evonik insights into consumer needs and for example a preventative for age-related 13 preferences. muscle loss in elderly consumers and the These insights also inform and improve sugar substitute isomalt in Asia. Samples B2B activities: Evonik can create end-to- are being provided to potential customers, end solutions that are tailored to consumer and feedback has been very positive. tastes while taking into account the goals The fact that Evonik, a new player, has and constraints of supplement and func- already achieved significant successes in tional food manufacturers. Moreover, con- the food supplements market is very much a The experts sumers have been especially impressed by team achievement. Creavis, the New Busi- Evonik’s scientific approach: the positive ness Development unit within the Nutrition metabolic effects of MEDOX® have been & Care Segment, and Evonik Digital have proven by almost 20 independent studies made major contributions and will contin- worldwide. There is hardly any other prod- ue to support the Health Care Business Line uct in this category that has been subject to and its growth goals. Ultimately, innovation this level of scientific scrutiny. is always a team effort. Dr. Thomas Hermann heads the Pharma & Food Ingredients Pro- duct Line in the Health Care Business Line. thomas.hermann @evonik.com

Dr. Ludger Eilers is responsible for Food Ingredients in the Phar- ma & Food Ingredients MEDOX® is manufac- Product Line. tured in the Hanabryg- gene Research Center, ludger.eilers @evonik.com Photography: Evonik (2), Shutterstock, C3, Markus Schmidt, Kenneth McDowell Kenneth Schmidt, Markus Shutterstock, C3, (2), Evonik Photography: in Sandnes (Norway).

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease

Relevant risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) include:

Total flavonoids Anthocyanins 0

–10 –17 % Inflammation Atherosclerosis Oxidative stress –20

–30 –32 %

High blood pressure Hyperlipidemia

Risk reduction for heart attack [%] –40

Improved cardiac health

Cardiovascular diseases are among the leading causes of death. Epi- demiological studies have shown Normal coronary artery Development of positive correlations between the regular consumption of anthocy- atherosclerosis anins and other flavonoids and a Atherosclerosis begins with reduced risk of heart attack. Exam- Atherosclerosis the formation of fatty depos- ple: Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) its in the arteries. High LDL II tracked 93,600 healthy women cholesterol levels promote between 25 and 42 years of age for Atherosclerotic plaques the formation of so-called 18 years. plaques, while HDL removes 14 Source: Cassidy A. et al., Circulation 2013, 127, excess cholesterol from the 188-196. vessel walls and thus con- HDL: good tributes to vascular health. LDL: bad Source: Biochemie für Mediziner 2005.

+ 13.7 %

Placebo HDL-C + 2.8% MEDOX® More good cholesterol, - 13.6 % Placebo LDL-C less bad cholesterol Placebo 30 + 0.6 % Numerous studies have shown that the 28.4 % anthocyanins in Healthberry® 865 increase good HDL cholesterol 20 levels in people with increased cholesterol levels and can lower their levels of bad LDL cholesterol. 10

Source: Qin Y. et al., The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009, 90, 485-492. to week [%] 12 2.2 % Change from baseline 0 FMD Direct effect on blood vessels Positive effects in Improved blood lipids MEDOX® improves the elasticity of blood vessels. diabetic patients A 12-week supplementation with MEDOX® led to a In a randomized, 28.4% increase of flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) (compared to placebo: 2.2%). High antioxidant capacity double-blind, placebo-controlled study Source: Zhu Y. et al., Clinical Chemistry, 2011, 57, 11, 1524-1533. with 58 diabetes patients, daily intake of Reduced insulin resistance 320 milligrams of MEDOX® over 24 weeks had a beneficial Lower blood glucose levels effect on essential disease aspects. Inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines Source: Li D. et al., The Journal of Inflammatory processes play an important role in the origin and Nutrition 2015, DOI:10.3945/ course of arteriosclerosis. The anthocyanins in Healthberry® Anti-inflammatory effect jn.114.205674. 865 can synergistically reduce the formation of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Source: Zhu Y. et al., Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases 2013, 23, 843-849.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

Photography: C3 Infographic: C3 Visual Lab Alzheimer’s prevention Alzheimer’s radicals and thus rendering them harmless. them rendering thus and radicals or hydrogenelectrons atoms from the hydroxyl groups to free transferring by stress oxidative counteract can Anthocyanins stress oxidative Reduced BBA—Molecular Basis ofDiseases 2016, 1862(11) 2110-2118. 2003, 51,Food Chemistry 3560-3563; Parrado-Fernández C. al., et 100, 100-111.; Matsumoto al., et H. Journal ofAgriculture and al., et Lamy S. Journal 2007, ofCellular2047-2056; Biochemistry Sources: Fimognari 2004, C. 67, al., et Pharmacology Biochemical anthocyanins. of effects health-promoting further to point Studies areas New research Anthocyanins contained indarkAnthocyanins fruitandvegetables are known for their natural antioxidant properties. Around 865as were 20ofthese studies well Healthberry® extract with performed as the the berry Eye health Antioxidant Their broadTheir health-promoting have effects beendocumented by numerous international studies. food supplementMEDOX® derived from it, the making Evonik the product best-studied for better health Transfer of electron of Transfer Cancer anthocyanin-containing nutritional supplementonthe market. Berry power Unpaired Free radical GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS electron DATA MINING Code—Grapevine andOlive,” 2013, 10.5772/3442. DOI: MediterraneanSource: al., et in“The Genetic Ananga A. toorange purple. groups the increases, color changes from these of number the When contain. they groups hydroxyl of number the on depends anthocyanins of effect color The to purple From orange In the plant world, anthocyanins have a variety of tasks: of avariety have anthocyanins world, plant the In allrounders Beneficial Attract insects Protect against against Protect UV rays rays UV Cyanidin Peonidin Bind free radicals free Bind Pelargonidin

Delphinidin Petunidin Malvidin 15

GLOBAL CHALLENGES: ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS

Guest commentary Dr. Heribert Watzke has worked for Nestlé S.A. in research and management for more than 20 years. Targeting Today he advises other companies through Dr. Phil. Watzke Heribert Consulting. the [email protected] microbiome

Dr. Heribert Watzke

itamins and minerals as micronutrients Regulatory authorities approve products are essential for a functioning metabolism. containing advanced food ingredients on the V Together with macronutrients—proteins, basis of content and health claims. Health claims carbohydrates, and fats—they form the nutritional rest on clinical studies establishing scientific foundation of human diets. The rising incidence proof of the health effect. The success of advanced of chronic diseases has increased interest in the ingredients is driven by specific factors such as specific health impacts of ingredients. As has a traceable supply chain of safe raw material; been known since ancient times, plants produce high extraction yields and stable batch quality bioactive ingredients that can be used as remedies under minimal processing conditions (natural against many ailments. The use of such ingredients versus processed); proof of bioavailability and 16 in food products has opened up the new functional bio-efficacy; controlled bio-accessibility for foods industry. different locations in the gastrointestinal tract to ensure adequate absorption; support from clinical Nutritional research has extended the list of studies; flexibility in ingredient formats to allow bioactive compounds over the last three decades, for various consumer preferences in product types; with microorganisms and animals joining plants and long shelf life of in-product bioactivity for a as sources of advanced food ingredients. Typical given dosage. applications focus on obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and cognitive impairments. Bioactive ingredients have so far been aimed at metabolic targets, as in the control of dietary Although the food industry has welcomed these cholesterol uptake by phytosterols. But recent developments, their impact on everyday diet has research indicates the important impact of so far been small due to low consumer acceptance. intestinal bacteria on bioavailability; this allows By contrast, advanced food ingredients have bioactivity to be controlled through bacterial found widespread applications in nutritional transformations in the intestine. Ultimately, the supplements, where their consumption as human microbiome will become a valid health nutritional complements to diets is health-focused, target in itself, as a functional microbiome and the market potential is as high as €17 billion. allowing access to novel and innovative solutions.

“If the microbiome can be functionalized with bioactive ingredients, new and innovative More information health solutions will become TED: www.ted.com/talks/heribert_watzke_the_brain_in_your_gut available.” MAD3: www.vimeo.com/86983066

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

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DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

Evonik has set aside €100 million and is entering into strategic partnerships aimed at forging ahead with the digital transformation in the chemical industry.

or us as a specialty chem- as blockchain, Internet of F icals company, digitaliza- Things, and Industry 4.0. In an tion brings with it a world of initial pilot project, IBM and possibilities. Now it’s about Evonik will develop a digi- identifying them, testing them tal, Evonik-specific cognitive out, and being able to put them corpus of knowledge equipped to good use. That is why we with the entire chemicals and have taken this initiative,” says life sciences know-how of the Christian Kullmann, Chairman company. of the Executive Board of A strategic cooperation Evonik Industries AG. with the University of Duis- Plans call for around €100 burg-Essen (UDE) will focus million to go into the devel- on the people and skills opment and testing of digital at the center of digital technologies and the devel- transformation. Exam- opment of digital skills by the ples include interactive 17 year 2020. It’s not just about knowledge transfer data and technology, but also and individually about new business models, tailored train- solutions, services for custom- ing concepts ers, and training of personnel. in industrial The partnership with IBM practice. will see Evonik benefit from the latest technologies and projects IBM is spearhead- ing, encompassing technologies such as cognitive and cloud-based solutions such Illustration: C3 Visual LabIllustration:

Photography: C3 (2), Dirk Bannert Dirk C3 (2), Photography: Algal oil from the US ➜ Membranes for China ➜ Lightweight ships’ hulls ➜

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

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approximately two years). autonomous vehicles, as well The initial annual production as other emerging technologies Crosslinkers capacity will meet roughly Investment such as robotics and trans- Business Line 15% of the current total annual in High-Tech portation by drone. Rather demand for EPA and DHA by than limiting their focus to the the entire salmon aquaculture vonik is extending its potential of lubricant additives, industry. The facility is expect- E corporate venture capi- the scientists will also examine ed to come on stream in 2019. tal activities in Europe with fluid systems, surface de- Evonik’s and DSM’s highly an investment in High-Tech signs, and high-performance concentrated algal oil will Gründerfonds III (HTGF III). polymers. enable the animal nutrition The fund will begin with a industry to keep up with the planned volume of more than increasing demand for these €300 million. Evonik will in- two essential omega-3 fatty vest a single-digit million euro Fire protection Efficient wind power thanks to acids without endangering fish figure. on the tracks composites stocks. This will contribute HTGF is Germany’s most to healthy animal nutrition active early financing fund. ince April 2016, the more ith the acquisition of Air as well as to the ecological It finances young, innovative S stringent requirements W Products’ epoxy curing balance and biodiversity of the technology start-up companies related to the fire behavior of agents business and Evon- oceans. and actively supports them materials and components used ik’s long-time experience in with the implementation of in rail vehicles have been de- isophorone chemistry, Evonik their business idea. In 2012 fined in the new EN 45545 fire has a very broad technology Evonik invested in the prede- protection standard. Evonik’s platform and extensive exper- cessor fund, HTGF II. Resource Efficiency Segment tise in crosslinker technology. Investment in funds is an has developed a new VEST- As of July 1, 2017, the two areas important part of Evonik’s AMID® molding compound merged to form the new Cross- venture capital activities. The based on polyamide 12 (PA linkers Business Line. Evonik partnership with HTGF enables 12) which complies with the will now be able to offer a large the company to stay in contact product range for epoxy and with a broad range of innova- polyurethane applications from tive start-ups and to retain an a single source—from basic overview of new technologies. amines through isocyanate 18 monomers and polyisocyanates up to formulated epoxy hard- Healthy salmon with algal oil from Innovations eners. The products are used DSM and Evonik in the coatings and adhesives in lubricants field, in construction, and in high-performance elastomers Sustainability t its Darmstadt site, and composites. A Evonik has opened a new The EU has raised fire protection The business line has a on the rise Friction & Motion competency standards for rail vehicles. total of about 1,000 employees center. In the special labora- worldwide. Production facili- he chemicals segments of tories, medium to long-term required values. VESTAMID® ties in Europe, North America, T Evonik generate approx- innovations are to be developed LX9115 is flame retardant and and Asia ensure optimal proximately 50 percent of their for the lubricants market. These features low toxicity and low imity to markets and customers turnover with products that will help to reduce the energy smoke density. and open up attractive growth make a verifiable contribution losses incurred in overcoming The new, black PA 12 com- opportunities. to improved resource efficien- friction. pound for cables and cable cy in their applications. This Evonik foresees major conduits can be used in more is the result of the company’s demand for new solutions sensitive interior and exterior sustainability survey for the to reduce friction losses in applications and the coloration Production of 2016 financial year. Examples the context of trends such as does not affect its outstanding algal oil in the US include amino acids for animal carsharing, e-mobility, and fire protection properties. In nutrition, additives for hydrau- addition to rail applications, vonik and DSM have select- lic oils, and functional silanes VESTAMID® LX9115 can be E ed the Blair, Nebraska (USA) to protect building facades. used in a range of other appli- site for industrial production Sustainable business activ- cations where a high degree of of omega-3 fatty acids from ities and responsible conduct fire protection is required. natural marine algae (see are cornerstones of Evonik’s elements 59). Evonik has been business model. In 2016 the operating a facility there for the company was included in the fermentative production of the prestigious “Dow Jones Sus- Collaboration amino acid L-lysine (Biolys®) tainability Index (DJSI) World” in membranes for almost 20 years. and “DJSI Europe” for the first DSM Nutritional Products time. The 2016 Sustainabili- vonik and SINOPEC Beijing and Evonik Nutrition & Care ty Report is available on the E Research Institute of the plan to invest around US$ 200 Internet: Chemical Industry (BRICI) million in the facility (US$ 100 http://corporate.evonik.de/en/ Friction occurs between moving have signed a collaboration million by each partner over responsibility/ parts. agreement to build a process

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

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development laboratory for BRICI is also planning to con- Organic Solvent Nanofiltration struct a pilot plant at one of the (OSN). Organic Solvent Nano- SINOPEC production sites as an filtration (OSN) is an innovative OSN reference plant. and environmentally friendly membrane technology that has a wide range of applications in the petrochemical, pharma- Expansion ceutical, fine chemicals, and of capacities food industries. The oxo plant in Marl In collaboration with the vonik is investing an BRICI institute, Evonik will E amount in the upper dou- produced in the oxo plant make use of its advanced ble-digit million euro range since 2009, INA serves as an technologies to develop new in the expansion of its fumed important raw material for the processes for SINOPEC. SINO- silica capacities in Antwerp, production of large-volume PEC will make various business Leading membranes for organic Belgium. The production com- plasticizers. fields accessible to Evonik. solvent nanofiltration: DuraMem® plex is scheduled to become About 400,000 metric tons With the support of Evonik, and PuraMem® operational in the summer of of INA and 50,000 of 2-PH are 2019. Typical applications of now produced annually in this specialty silica, which Marl. The oxo plant is thus one Evonik markets under the of the world’s largest produc- AEROSIL® brand, include tion facilities for oxo alcohols at coatings and paints, modern a single site. LIGHT AND ROBUST adhesive systems, transparent silicones as well as non-flam- SHIPS’ HULLS mable, high-performance insulation materials. AEROSIL® New service Evonik’s Interface & Performance Business is generated as fumed silica for aquaculture Line is a partner in an EU project to develop from the high-temperature especially light, robust, and strong ships’ hulls. hydrolysis of silanes in a hy- vonik is set to launch E its new AMINOTilapia® Cargo vessels have so far been made exclu- software. This product enables sively of steel, but sustainable construction the aquaculture industry to principles such as lightweight construction and improve efficiency in tilapia 19 state-of-the-art materials like fiber-reinforced farming through optimal feed composites could well be finding their way into formulation. ® shipyards in the future. AMINOTilapia calculates the ideal amino acid recom- mendation for different growth The EU is supporting this development to the stages of tilapia while taking tune of €10.8 million in the four-year different production factors RAMSSES (Realisation and Demonstration of into account. The software With AEROSIL®, paint coatings stick helps animal nutritionists to Advanced Material Solutions for Sustainable without running (right). formulate diets that optimally and Efficient Ships) project. In addition to Evon- meet the needs of the fish and ik, leading shipbuilders and well-known ship drogen flame. In the future, also improve feed conversion. outfitters are also members of the consortium. Evonik will be able to supply It makes it possible to create The project partners plan to jointly construct a customers with both hydro- modern diets which contain 70-meter-long hull from fiber-reinforced com- philic and hydrophobic silica all amino acids in balanced from the Antwerp site. proportions and which reduce posite materials and test this on the high seas excess dietary protein. under real conditions. The oxo plant in Marl turns 50

or 50 years now, Evonik has F been producing oxo alcohols at the Marl Chemical Park. The oxo plant, which originally produced butyraldehyde, has also been used since the mid-1980s for the distillation of octanol. The current main product of the plant, INA (isononanol), Bow of a steel freighter has been produced there for the last 20 years. Along with

Photography: Evonik (3), Shutterstock, Fotolia, Grantly Lynch, Stefan Wildhirt, iStock Stefan Lynch, Grantly Shutterstock, Fotolia, (3), Evonik Photography: 2-PH (2-propylheptanol), also Nile tilapia

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE SOLUTIONS: METHACRYLATES

BETTER IN ANY RESPECT Lower raw material consumption, less wastewater, and mild reaction conditions: Evonik experts have developed a particularly efficient and sustainable process for the production of methyl methacrylate. Moreover, the process uses ethylene and methanol, two of the most commonly 20 available petrochemical raw materials.

MMA produced with LiMA is suitable even for demanding optical applications.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 SOLUTIONS: METHACRYLATES THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

Photography: Bernd Thissen Graphic: C3 Visual Lab M or isobutene (C isobutene or bulk production method of many chem of many production method bulk established the become typically processes one or two of time, course Over the MMA. for of applications number the as versatile and manifold as almost today is established recovery processes. oil for polymers enhanced acrylate specialty meth uses industry gas and oil Even the design. lighting in effects creates exciting plants almost exclusively rely pro on C3 almost plants processes. or C4 C3 C2, safety. supply and sustainability, environmental regard with efficiency, to advantages offers LiMA contrast, In common. most currently are (MTBE) isobutene, or ether tert-butyl methyl on based (bottom), processes C4 and acetone, on (center), based process ACH sulfo the like processes C3 production, commercial In stock. feed as ethylene body C2 the uses It Evonik. by developed being is that MMA of manufacture the for (top)LiMA process anew is MMA for processes production different of Comparison of methanol. presence the in intoMMA esterified and isolated then is substance step. oxidation This a further acid in reacted to is methacrylic which in, converted to methacrole typically It is on isobutene. based are which processes, C4 use commonly also plants Asian MMA. in results acid.of methanol The addition furic sul with sulfate reacted to methacrylamide (ACH), then is which acetone cyanohydrin acid to create hydrocyanic with condensed acetone first is process, ACH sulfo the type, of this relevant process most the In cesses. (C ethylene typically relevant feedstock— of the length chain the today. use on in are Based ferent processes adozen dif half more than raw materials, Depending on the region and availability of for MMA. true not been has but that icals, Dr.Dr. and SteffenZschunke Krill Florian PLEXIGLAS form of the In automotiveand parts. body contact lenses in found be can MMA, from manufactured is which (PMMA), acrylate meth polymethyl polymer The adhesives. of two tackiness the ensures gives coatings their brilliant shine and Atmospheric ogen The number of production technologies technologies production of number The At present, European and American American and At present, European atural gas Methanol Ammonia thlene Feed Sn gas ® , it provides a clear view and and view , it provides a clear 4 H 8 )—they are categorized as as )—they categorized are sentative of this group, group, this of sentative repre important most the (MMA), acrylate meth Methyl mers. mono versatile ularly partic are ethacrylates Tert-butl alcohol drocanic acid ropionaldehde 2 H Formalin Acetone 4 MT ), acetone (C ELEMENTS #60 SOLUTIONS: METHACRYLATES - component THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE 3 H 6 O) O)

sobutene C3 process. manufactured with the is MMA produced annually of percent 60 about Worldwide dominates C3 Acetone canohdrin C3 C4 C2 60 Share of pro of Share duced MMA MMA duced amount in % in amount 10 - 30 Methacrolein Methacrolein The chemists and engineers of the Perforof and engineers The chemists decreased environmental burden. and use when it to comes efficientresource material availability and sets new standards highly selective single selective highly a of acompletely in by means new catalyst, methanol with directly esterified product is intermediate verted This to methacrolein. con are propionaldehyde formalin and called Mannich Condensation, in which so the is step reaction oxygen. The next air solution of formaldehyde, with aqueous an tion. Methanol is oxidized into formalin, hydroformyla as known also is which reaction, this with of experience decades has Evonik propionaldehyde. to converted are mixture, monoxide carbon hydrogen a gas, step, synthesis and ethylenea first In methanol. and ethylene include process the new for feedstocks important most The production MMA for Most efficient process CO reduced ly great in results LiMA efficient. highly and simple it is conditions, reaction mild and yields high particularly to its ogy. Thanks for technol the ambitions high their press Methacrylates,” order in in to ex “Leading LiMA, route, named they which synthesis acompletelynow come up with new C2 have of Evonik Segment Materials mance high yield, it also generates ammonium generates ammonium it also yield, high (C3) process offers a ACH sulfo the Although lower of their lifetime. because frequently have to more replaced be catalysts dition, CO releases and quantities resource large involvesof combustion the That phase. gas the in occur processes C4 acid in acrylic to step generate meth subsequent the and to methacrolein isobutene conversion from the as processes, to established contrast strong is a This conditions. mild under and phase liquid the in occur steps process all because process—particularly production MMA efficient most the considered be can MMA. product ate final the With a yield of over 90 percent, LiMA of over a yield With percent, 90 LiMA Methacrlamide Methacrlic acid Methacrlic 2 emissions and excellent raw and emissions - step process, to crestep process, MMA MMA MMA 2 . In ad . In - - 21 SOLUTIONS: METHACRYLATES

sulfate as a co-product. This substance occur with the LiMA catalyst. As a conse intelligent recombination and further de primarily serves as a low-cost component quence, the MMA production does not re velopment to make them a success. In the of fertilizers, which means that it contrib quire additional purification steps, which first tests, catalyst poisons and byproducts utes little added value. Furthermore, large are otherwise needed to remove, e.g., traces from the precursor stages accumulated and quantities of sulfuric acid have to be used of metal ions. reduced the yield. In addition, the presence and recycled. Although other synthesis routes on the of byproducts affected the MMA quality. basis of ethylene are known, LiMA reaches The Evonik developers meticulously Lean ecological footprint may top values in raw material and energy effi worked to identify the undesired byprod boost market opportunities ciency in comparison. These positive envi ucts and to modify the reaction conditions Because LiMA almost completely converts ronmental properties could further improve in such a way that the substances are effec the feedstock materials to a previously un the market opportunities of the result tively separated or not generated in the first equaled extent, avoids co-products, and ing MMA, as consumers increasingly ex place. The newly developed catalyst, which uses catalysts for every process step, it re ert pressure on the processing industry by stands out for its high lifetime and tolerance sults in noticeable environmental relief. placing greater emphasis on environmental for byproducts in pilot testing, was another One of the development goals was to keep criteria in their purchasing decisions. LiMA crucial success factor. the energy input as low as possible. Each re offers both processors of MMA and consum The skillful combination of known and action step occurs at temperatures that are ers the option to specifically select a product new process steps allowed the Evonik engi far lower than required for the gas-phase with favorable environmental properties. neers to save valuable development time. It reactions of the other processes. As a result, can take ten to 15 years for a process to fully LiMA has a very lean ecological footprint. Pilot process delivers MMA mature. In the case of LiMA, the work only Instead of the industrial average of 3.7 (C3) in top quality began five years ago, and the process was

to 4.5 metric tons (C4) of CO2 equivalent The path to a robust production process was moved to pilot testing in Darmstadt over a per metric ton of MMA, it only results in 2.6 initially rocky. Although some reaction year ago, generating top-quality MMA in a

metric tons of CO2 equivalent, which rep steps of LiMA were well known and were stable and uninterrupted process. The re resents savings of 30 to 40 percent. already used in chemical production, they sulting polymethyl methacrylate can easily In the C4 processes, raw materials and had to be adjusted further to make the en be used for optically demanding applica intermediates are diluted with large quan tire process as efficient as possible. It took tions—the crowning achievement for this tities of air, nitrogen, and steam. This is the only way to safely operate the facilities and to use the catalysts over a longer time peri od. Another downside is that the processes use a lot of energy and create large volumes of wastewater. In contrast, in the LiMA pro 22 cess the raw materials and reaction products serve as the primary solvents themselves, which eliminates the need for addition al dilutions. The production of 1 metric ton of MMA only generates approximately 300 liters of wastewater, which can be biolog ically reclaimed. That quantity represents only one eighth to one tenth of the volume that is generated at high disposal costs with C3 or C4 processes. Due to the involvement of sulfuric acid and hydrogen cyanide, the ACH sulfo pro cess (C3) places high demands on plant design and operation. Only extremely cor rosion-resistant materials can be used. The moderate reaction conditions of LiMA are expected to significantly reduce mainte nance requirements—also because consid erably fewer polymeric deposits are formed. In the absence of corrosive media and ex treme temperatures, it is also feasible to use comparably less expensive construction materials. The Evonik specialists created the com pletely new catalyst in a particularly ro bust design. While the components of other catalysts may be released from the carrier material over time, this bleed-out does not

Purificationof raw MMA from the LiMA process

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 SOLUTIONS: METHACRYLATES THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

Photography: Markus Schmidt (4), Shutterstock Graphic: C3 Visual Lab the entire product spectrum of acracker has product spectrum entire the in stream C4 tothe crackers.of ty share The vicini direct in built be only can facilities C4 that means which networks, no pipeline togenerated. ethylene, contrast are there In are stream of C4 quantities atively small rel only that means production, which for ethylene crackers optimized steam are crackers. However, naphtha from these stream C4 the isobutene for is producing al ed availability. The most important materi have limit processes C4 and C3 established world’sthe chemical. produced widely most ethylene year,tons is per raw material the metric 160 million volume of more than production aglobal With able at Evonik. avail of production technologies range the complements Materials Performance of ists special the developed by new The process safety supply higher Broader raw materials basis, PLEXIGLAS of made compounds or molding blocks films, to manufacture of production internally its apart processes Evonik providers of MMA. largest one two company of the the making polymers, monomers and specialty duce pro sites other also USA) and (Alabama, (China). The Mobile tene (C4) Shanghai in (C3), on isobu it relies Wesseling while and Worms in as well USA) as (Louisiana, tier impossible. methacrylate polymethyl resulting of the use the make can MMA, in of byproducts by traces caused for example discoloration, purity. Even and minimal el of transparency lev highest the it demands because polymer In contrast, the source materials for the materials source the contrast, In For in acetone afeedstock as uses Evonik ® .

Darmstadt site Darmstadt the at process LiMA the for plant Pilot Production sites Production polymers. and monomers specialty methacrylate facture manu sites global other All Darmstadt. in located is plant pilot C4). LiMA The (China; (all C3), Shanghai Wesseling and and USA), Worms (Louisiana, Fortier in produces It manufacturers. MMA largest two world’s the of one is Evonik continents three on production MMA 7 Taichung 6 Wallingford 5 4 Mobile 3 2 Fortier 1 Worms Wesseling (pilotDarmstadt plant) Osceola Shanghai ELEMENTS #60 SOLUTIONS: METHACRYLATES

THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE 2 5

4 6 for phenol than driven by the actual de actual by the driven for phenol than demand the on dependent more therefore is quantity nol The production. available aco as occurs only cesses, hydrocarbons. light in rich particularly are that sources al new raw materi accessing keeps industry the because for years several declining been major impact on overall costs. on overall major impact have a raw materials where utilized the of MMA, case the in important particularly is alone. That broader basis raw material on the based increase would Supply safety isobutene. on acetone and dependency the for acetone. mand Acetone, which is important for pro C3 Acetone, important is which LiMA will therefore help to out of break will LiMA MMA plastics, coatings, coatings, plastics, nent of technical technical of nent 1 and adhesives. is acompo is - - product in phe product in 3 7 -

@evonik.com florian.zschunke project. LiMA the in development process is for responsible Zschunke Dr. Florian @evonik.com steffen.krill Line. BusinessMethacrylates the in Management Innovation of head the is Krill Dr. Steffen The experts

23 24 PORTRAIT: SCHWAGER HARALD DR.

Foto: XYZ Grafik: xyz PORTRAIT: SCHWAGER HARALD DR.

Photography: Kirsten Neumann W achievement he was awarded the coveted the achievement awarded he was year. that For to in do so this Society Planck Max doctorate, at student the youngest the his 26, he obtained turned 1986,March just der In Ruhr. an Mülheim than no further travelshim took his of stage first the But he got itchy feet. of Karlsruhe University at the chemistry in studies his completing After horizons. his expanding terested in rope.” Eu in as well as America North and Asia in ers. That’scompetition, in matters what custom for products our custom-designed developing in is he says. “Evonik’s strength on innovation,” heavily depends chemicals specialty in “Success innovation. and icals for chem responsibility with utive Board, of Evonik’s Exec Chairman Deputy been has Schwager September, Since sibility. respon to today he comes assume search; other, mark.” we our made one ultimately, way or in And an search. never re had before exploredthat in been to new ground tread fascinating tems. It was opportunity to work on highly reactive sys to work on highly opportunity the Ihad “Along motivated colleagues, with Mülheim,” Schwager. says in of my time career. “I have memories of happy his start back to past, the the into ajourney is district 57-year-old move the to Ruhr the chemist for So the Research. for Coal Institute Planck der renowned Max at Ruhr, the an Mülheim doctorate in his gained region, Palatinate Schwager, Germany’s in born who was ago years Thirty past. his from a milestone Even as a student, Schwager was in Schwager astudent, was Even as to do Schwager re came time At that Dr. Evonik’s Harald been has amember of Schwager since Board Executive September 1,September 2017. and Chairman, chemist experienced the Deputy As passionate oarsman is responsible for chemicals and innovation. chemicals for responsible oarsman is passionate out on the horizon horizon the on out make ters, he can headquar ik’s Essen in Evon new office outger looks of his Schwa hen Harald ON BOARD ON THE NEW THE NEW CHEMIST ------ was a return to his homeland. to his areturn was to BASF moveGermany, the California from Speyer, in born he was As much planning.” day. without “I’ve places ended up in always path,” acareer Schwager says toplanned offer. interesting “I’ve an neverconsciously Schwager made and researchers for young looking Group The was Ludwigshafen. in to BASF invited he was that event, after soon any In impression: agreat made evidently he where conference, a at presentation ence. anewabout to chapter But begin. was sci in of acareer Berkeley, dream his and work of California, University of at his the excitement with speaks He still research. al of postdoctor for US West astint the Coast to afield, somewhat further tookthen him stage second The Dieter Prize. Rampacher Dr. Harald Schwager depends heavily on innovation.” “Success specialty in chemicals 2017 Harald Schwager left BASF—and al BASF—and Schwager left 2017 Harald April In research. bioscience but not least, last and, crop protection, Europe, Region the chemicals, construction for responsible ly recent where most Directors, tive he was of Execu Board the joined Schwager then company. of the 2008 heart at In the lies that Ludwigshafen production siteintegrated in president appointed of the eventually was and responsibility, further idly, assumed rap He to rose industry. research pure from switch Schwager the made Ludwigshafen In manager successful to scientist The movefrom successful PORTRAIT: SCHWAGER HARALD DR. Schwager to a traveled give to Vienna ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ------is clear.” is weary, be may but my legs head and arms My Evonik: at role new my for preparation possible best the is “sohe aregatta says, mind,” the cleanses ple of “Rowing days. to for Slovenia acou took him regatta al aweek’stember with leave. internation An Sep work in atSchwager Evonik started goal.” common of the sight lose neverand must effect, to optimal strengths to workits combine and has out flat team he says. “A strengths,” good individual the of sum the more than far outwhat comes is boat, asingle in combined are skills ual individ and ambitions high “When team. of a to part be to him good it feels sculls; hobby.tensive training-in about his disputes no family for there are rowing, passion his son share and wife his because belt. And his under regattas international and national in ries victo Speyer. many He has dergesellschaft club, Ru rowing local of member loyal his he’s decades Over the a been oarsman. an is either, Schwager for orboat acruiser Harald it home. isn’t second And asail his is a boat aboat.” in of time deal agreat Ispent course of And book. odd read the and my family with post,” alot spent of time he says. “I also for Iprepared my new time this “During break. afour-month summer lowed himself Rowing is also the reason why Harald why reason Harald the also is Rowing Schwager to prefers boats single team Of course—because for Schwager Harald ------

25 INNOVATION & CULTURE: RESEARCH FUNDING

SMARTER TOGETHER Research in a network is no guarantee of success, but it is a key prerequisite. The associated growth in knowledge, momentum, and new partners fuels your own innovation activities. And society benefits from this.

ealthy interim report for vative strength of the universities has en- at Evonik. The reason is that solutions are ROMEO (Reactor Optimiza- abled access to new technologies.” becoming ever more complex, technolo- tion by Membrane Enhanced ROMEO is one of 195 publicly funded gies more fast-paced, customer require- Operation): The European projects in which Evonik has collaborated ments more individualized, and markets Union-sponsored project has since 2007. Now as the company celebrates less predictable. “Through cooperations, undergone its first review af- its tenth anniversary, the volume of these we can shorten development times, we can ter 18 of the scheduled 48 months. The result: projects has exceeded the €1 billion mark; avoid situations where developments do not HAll individual projects are making good Evonik itself has invested a net amount of match the wishes of the customers, and we progress and are fully on schedule. In RO- €144 million. can discover new trends.” MEO, nine partners from business and aca- “Publicly funded projects have a huge One of the partners in ROMEO, for ex- demia are working on a new reactor concept leverage effect on future innovations,” example, is a medium-sized company from for industrial applications. Compared to es- plains Dr. Marc Oliver Kristen. Dr. Kristen Copenhagen, which specializes in silicon tablished process technology, the new con- heads Evonik’s innovation agency, which carbide ceramic technology for gas and cept is expected to provide energy savings of supports the operational divisions with liquid purification, “a partner with a com- up to 80 percent and emissions savings of up funding requests and provides commercial pletely different perspective on the project to 90 percent (see elements 54). support for the projects. “In pre-compet- from our own. This is a clear added value During the review, the excellent coop- itive research on socially relevant topics of research in networks: cooperating with eration between the partners came in for such as health, energy savings, or resource unusual partners who provide new momen- special praise. “The collaboration in such a efficiency, by working in consortiums we tum,” says Küsthardt. complex project is critical for its success,” can gain much greater knowledge in much says Prof. Robert Franke, who is respon- less time than we can working alone.” Career springboard for sible for hydroformylation research and is “Top-level research cannot be driven young professionals the global project coordinator of ROMEO behind closed doors,” emphasizes Dr. Ul- Publicly funded projects also provide the in Evonik’s Performance Intermediates rich Küsthardt, Chief Innovation Officer ideal opportunity for young researchers Business Line. Dr. Frank Stenger from Evonik Technology & Infrastructure, who is the scientific coordinator of the project, was also delighted with the positive “Top-level research cannot be assessment: “The positive interim report shows that our approach to combining the driven behind closed doors.”

Graphic: C3 Visual Lab Graphic: competency of the industry with the inno- Dr. Ulrich Küsthardt

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE INNOVATION & CULTURE: RESEARCH FUNDING INNOVATION & CULTURE: RESEARCH FUNDING

hopes to further reduce the raw material and High benefits energy consumption in its production. In the RegScha project beginning in Oc- €500 tober 2017, the focus is on new biomateri- billion: the amount by als for lightweight construction. RegScha which the GDP of the stands for “regenerative seat shell—natu- EU grew as a result of ral-fiber-reinforced bioplastic composites the 7th EU Framework and innovative manufacturing process for Program for Research, FP7. lightweight-construction hybrid molded parts with high structure and safety requirements” and the German Federal Min- 160,000 istry of Food and Agriculture will provide the number of jobs €1.55 million in funding. In addition to outside research that the FP7 created in the Evonik’s Nutrition & Care Segment, which is EU within 25 years. the project coordinator, four other companies are involved, as well as the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft and the Technical University of Chemnitz. Together, the partners want to expand the use of natural-fiber-reinforced bioplastic Greater efficiency: composites for high-performance prod- Researching in ucts. They plan to construct laminates from networks takes less continuous fiber-reinforced single layers time to generate much more knowl- and thus to partially strengthen structure edge that can flow components; the laminates are to be inte- into innovations grated in the components using a hybrid faster. injection-molding process and subsequent selective irradiation. A car seat is to serve as a practical demonstration object and various material, technology, design, and recycling concepts will be examined. The Interface & Performance Business Line, which is part of Nutrition & Care, is developing plastic additives as part of the 27 TEGOPREN® product range. The goal is to provide technological support for the adhesion of natural fibers to polymers and to optimize the flowability of the natural- fiber-reinforced bioplastic composite for injection molding. One of the biopolymers to be used in the tests is VESTAMID® Terra from Evonik. A strong network and companies to get to know one another. Overall, the partners in the RegScha proj- “More than 50 percent of the research staff ect are looking for important findings on the 1,400 in strain development in Halle-Künsebeck working, design, and application of natu- is the number of have previously worked as MA or doctoral ral-fiber-reinforced bioplastic composites Evonik’s collaborators students in funded projects with Evonik,” in structural components, and these find- in funded projects explains Dr. Kay Marin, Head of the Meta- ings will then flow into the development of since 2007. bolic Engineering & Computational Biology new products. department. In Halle-Künsebeck, the Nu- 660 trition & Care Segment concentrates its bio- A gain for all of these partners came technological research as an Evonik-wide parties involved from academia. core competency. Publicly funded projects benefit not only Over the past ten years, Evonik has col- the funded party but also the funders them- laborated with more than 1,400 partners in selves. You can read the reasons for this in 720 publicly funded projects. This includes ap- the report “The Economic Rationale for Pub- came from industry. proximately 660 academic and 720 indus- lic R&I Funding and its Impact,” which was trial partners. The projects that the special- published by the EU in March 2017. ty chemicals company engages in cover a In the report, the Directorate-General for broad range—from exploring new technol- Research and Innovation takes stock of the ogies to developing new material concepts. now completed 7th EU Framework Program In the ROMEO project, the focus in on ex- for Research and Technological Development plorative technology development. Evonik is (FP7): According to the Directorate’s esti- to set up a pilot plant for hydroformylation. mates, over a period of 25 years, the FP7 pro- The facility will use an integrated membrane gram helped the EU gross domestic product reactor to convert olefins and syngas to al- to grow by €500 billion. 130,000 jobs were dehydes—a precursor for plasticizer alcohols created in research within ten years and, in and other products. With this initiative, the the overall economy, an additional 160,000 Performance Intermediates Business Line jobs were created within 25 years.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE INNOVATION & CULTURE: ENTREPRENEURSHIP

CONCRETE THAT REPAIRS ITSELF Water-repellent concrete, in which small cracks repair themselves—this is the idea of Dr. Sarah Hintermayer and her WallCraft team, who were the winners of the Evonik Entrepreneurship Award for 2017.

28 he Romans needed only sand, water, burnt lime, and stones to produce their opus caemen- ticium. In contrast, today’s concrete is a high-tech product. This leads to special challenges. Corroding steel, for example, creates Ttiny cracks in the concrete. Evonik came up with a solution for this a long time ago. It manufactures additives which make the material water-repellent after processing. But if the cracks are too big, hydrophobic treatment no longer works. Another approach is required. “We are developing a product additive that extends the longevity of concrete and also makes it water-repellent,” says Dr. Sarah Hinter- mayer, a bioprocess engineer in the Tech- nology & Infrastructure unit of Evonik. “The For this product idea, Hintermayer and her WallCraft team were honored with this deeper year’s Entrepreneurship Award. The prize, we delve, worth €200,000, was presented by the Evonik Executive Board in a ceremony at the more the Zeche Zollverein coal mine industrial people we complex in Essen at the end of June. As entrepreneurs in the company, Hin- find from termayer and her team can now spend one whom we year working on fine-tuning their business idea. “The other team members will provide can learn.” support as much as possible in addition to Dr. Sarah Hintermayer their normal work activities. But I am the only one who can concentrate 100 percent on WallCraft,” the award winner points out. The members of her team are bioen- gineers, process engineers, and chemists

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE INNOVATION & CULTURE: ENTREPRENEURSHIP ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

Photography: Lina Nikelowski (2), Kirsten Neumann Graphic: C3 Visual Lab innovation strategy at Evonik. at strategy innovation component the afixed of become already has and second in year its is now The award mistakes.” of making fear without methods and out new things of trying mote aculture to “It pro us Zollverein. at enables Zeche ceremony awards of the beginning at the Officer, Innovation Evonik’s hardt, Chief Küst Dr. Ulrich vation culture,” explained inno open our in milestone important an culture. innovation the reinforces it thus and boundaries, national and mental depart across collaboration it strengthens ideas, unusual of implementation the motes pro The award achieved. been already has Awards for Entrepreneurship set the Evonik termayer. us,” knowledge with Hin says their share to happy who are experts and specialists delve topic, into the more the we discover “The wedeeper positive: very also is itself Evonik within Hintermayer.support The market,” the in itself says establish will develop product we that agreat can Craft, with that, Wall believe They us. in trust Alot their of have people placed challenge. of for the me. I’m But change not afraid will alot of things that and a lot of challenges practice. in implemented be can results lab the whether determine a wall—to example, structure—for larger a to take looking are they twelve months, over to coming plan the goes everything If of concrete. on specimens test initially bed, be put on a test year.the approachwill Then approach the for coming the outlining says, engineer bioprocess the experiments,” lab by way of properties develop required the more “Now ideas. what to we to need do is to topic pickence on the up of self-healing confer specialist a attended Hintermayer keting and sales. opment, technology, mar application and devel process as such areas in specializing Dr. Jan Hellriegel, and Dr. Susanne Martens Dr. and Susanne Dr. Hellriegel, Jan Dr. Hintermayer, Tobias Dr. Müller, Haas, Sarah Dr. Isabelle Murphy, Peter Dr. Coach left):Business team (from WallCraft The “Corporate entrepreneurship represents represents entrepreneurship “Corporate goals important thethat one of means This pose will year coming the “I that know ceremony, awards the after Immediately ------INNOVATION & CULTURE: ENTREPRENEURSHIP

the workload of their their of workload the of €200,000 which Award, Evonik aims aims Evonik Award, is to be used by the the by used be to is his or her idea over over idea her or his winner to develop develop to winner an initial period of of period initial an one year, without Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship includes a budget includes a budget spirit. The prize prize The spirit. entrepreneurial day-to-day job. ELEMENTS #60 to promote With the the With

THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

Let me put it this way: Itend me put itLet an to this very be an entrepreneur? of more into you made award this Has never much. so have Icould achieved own, much brought together. closer us has my On This tasks. daily to addition their project in Ink Bitflip the driving have been members team other the all, achieve. After can team how much amotivated just tofactor see is Another practice. approach—worksup in start- lean method—the innovation our For how Ihave seen example, have gained. I new knowledge that the and experiences For even new more the me, what counts are reward? biggest the really that practice—is into idea own your put to freedom financial the Canas-Ventura, Ms. able to to develop continue idea. the be should team the idea, then their with won award the has ateam if that portant project? the For im very support me, it is to whether to continue time a short after decide then and a few months forect just work people let several proj on acommon not why For example, performance. team on emphasis more places Award neurship Entrepre the where situation a envisage Icould amazing. was Evonik from support the and market, the idea from back on our We feed Certainly. received positive very again? award the for apply Would you back: looking And on investors board. to bring time remaining the need You months. eight will seven or idea within implement the must you that to aware be important Itof them. is We prototype. working both have achieved to idea. Secondly: of produce our a potential business the to able to be estimate better ny, Firstly: for ourselves. goals we two set ceremo award the following Immediately ment your own idea? imple to sufficient months twelve Are alot. worth is that And information. limited having spite de quickly decisions how multiple to take Ink, I’ve learned toBitflip decide. Through my approach my to time in take and alytical were of thewinners Evonik’s first Entrepreneurship In 2016, Dr. Canas-Ventura Marta andherteam Award for their BitflipInkproject. A review. FANTASTIC YEAR » IT WAS A ------

Canas-Ventura Dr. Marta amazing.” was support “The « 29 CORPORATE FORESIGHT: LIFE EXTENSION

THE SEARCH FOR THE BIOLOGICAL LIMIT Aging deferred

People born in 19th-century Germany could count themselves lucky if they lived beyond the age of 50. But with the discovery of new drugs such as antibiotics, improved nutrition and hygiene, and new medical technologies such as the pacemaker, life expectancy has now risen to 81: Anyone born in Germany in 2015 can expect to live 81 years on average. Moreover, the rate of increase of life expectancy is itself increasing: In the period between 2000 and 2015 alone, global life expectancy increased by five years.

Further increases appear likely. The very young discipline of biogerontology investigates how aging processes can be slowed down, halted, or even reversed. It is based on two assumptions—that aging arises from gradual damage to DNA and that our genes are responsible

30 for the aging process—and both of these are already being exploited to achieve the desired aims. For example, changing a single gene increased life expectancy in mice by about 25 percent.

Life-prolonging drugs for humans also appear to be within reach. The first “anti-aging” drug is already in the official approval process: Metformin, used to treat type 2 diabetes, has been proven to reduce the rate of cell degeneration. Other anti-aging active ingredients such as rapamycin, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), and a modified FOXO4 peptide are currently being researched. Some researchers already believe that a life expectancy of one to two centuries is feasible.

Gerontologists are agreed that nutrition plays a key role here: The long life expectancy of Italians has also been ascribed to red wine, and the longevity of the Japanese to green tea and to fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Evonik also wants to contribute to strengthening health, for example with the food supplement MEDOX® and with the omega-3 complexes that are currently being launched on the market. That’s reason enough for the Corporate Foresight Team of Creavis, Evonik´s strategic innovation unit, to study developments and growth opportunities in this field.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE CORPORATE FORESIGHT: LIFE EXTENSION CORPORATE FORESIGHT: LIFE EXTENSION

Her age still marks her out as exceptional: 101-year-old Ecuadorian Luz Pacifica Torres. She was photographed for the book Aging Gracefully.

More on the subject of age in Evonik Magazine: http://magazine.evonik.com/ Photography: Karsten Thormaehlen Karsten Photography:

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE PROFESSIONALS

taying flexible is the aim of PROF. STEFAN PELZER Prof. Stefan Pelzer, the innovation manager who heads the Gut Health and Diagnostics research unit of Evonik’s Animal Nutrition business unit. He and his team work here on probiotics for animal Always Snutrition. “Probiotics are natural microorganisms that colonize the gut of chickens, for example, where they improve the intestinal health of the animals,” says Pelzer. “This enables the animals to fight pathogens reinventing independently without the use of antibiotic growth promoters in feed.” It also helps to reduce the development of resistant microorganisms, allowing healthier meat pro- ourselves duction. From a start-up and a medium-sized enterprise to a large “Animal health starts in the gut,” says Pelzer. This is why the biologist is trying to company: Prof. Stefan Pelzer has gained lot of experience, and understand the processes in the digestive he’s making good use of it to advance Evonik’s Gut Health and tract and to develop new products and

Diagnostics research unit. solutions from his findings. In this he re- Bannert Dirk Photography:

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS

In the broiler house: Prof. Stefan Pelzer’s team works closely with local poultry farming businesses.

there to investigate the biosynthesis of an and, with the support of a motivated team, antibiotic of last resort that is still in use to- translated these requirements into techni- day. In 2001, a new opportunity opened up cal solutions,” he says. for Pelzer: Researchers from various uni- In doing so, he broke new ground: For the versities founded a start-up. “That was my first time, he employed a vet at the Halle- first step from academic science into indus- Künsebeck research site, and built up a try,” he recalls, “and it turned out to be the 15-strong team with each member contrib- right one. I found it was product develop- uting individual specialist expertise for the ment that particularly interested me.” Gut Health and Diagnostics unit. The re- Therefore, seven years later, he moved sults were impressive: In just three years, from the university start-up to BRAIN AG, the team succeeded in developing the pro- a medium-sized firm that is a technological biotic GutCare® PY1, now used in the US leader in industrial biotechnology in Europe. and some Asian countries as a feed additive “There I was particularly struck by the many for chickens (see elements 58). “For me this areas where biotechnology can be applied. confirms that we’re on the right path,” says 33 A variety of projects, ranging from research Pelzer. on enzymes to the development of new His success in his new post not withstand- bioactive substances for the food industry, ing, Pelzer has never lost touch with his were being handled by a single company former colleagues—among other reasons, offering its customers contract research to stay up to speed on what they’re work- services in a hugely diverse array of appli- ing on and researching into. He is keen to cation fields.” learn about current technologies and exploit innovations: “You must remember that in Room for maneuver our highly dynamic technological environ- So why, in 2012, did he finally come to Evon- ment, 50 percent of our knowledge becomes ik Industries? For Pelzer this was clearly outdated after about two and a half years. So a gut decision: Here was an opportunity we’re always having to reinvent ourselves.” for a change of perspective. The object was This is why he sets great store by collab- lies on innovation, in the true sense: “An to apply probiotics in animal nutrition. oration with academia and industry. He innovation does not mean merely devel- Despite looking forward to his new task, teaches at the university, engages in com- oping something new. The important thing Pelzer initially had misgivings. “I was afraid mittee work, and successfully applies for is that it should be of value for society and I’d have much less room for maneuver public funding for his research unit (see the market.” It was this conviction that also than in a smaller company,” he says, “but elements 58)—all in addition to his actual induced him to move from academia into fortunately it turned out to be exactly the work at Evonik. “It’s worth the effort,” he industry: “At the university I often did only opposite.” finds. His teaching in particular gives him fundamental research; in industry you have Just a year after joining Evonik he got valuable insights into current research top- the resources to bring a discovery to mar- his “room for maneuver”: He was asked to ics and issues of interest to the younger gen- ket readiness. And succeeding in this is the establish the Gut Health and Diagnostics re- eration of scientists. most rewarding thing for an industrial sci- search unit at the Halle-Künsebeck site and An additional motivation is to inspire his entist.” to set up structures for product develop- students to work in industry and to attract Pelzer gained a doctorate from the Uni- ment—a task without textbook precedents. talented young scientists to Evonik: “It’s a versity of Tübingen for research into anti- “I queried a wide range of people to find out super feeling when I succeed in convincing biotics in 1997. He then established a team exactly what was required of our new unit a student to work in industry.” His com- mitment in this regard has also been recog- nized by the academic world. In 2016, Pelzer was nominated extraordinary professor of “Bringing a discovery to market the University of Tübingen. “I never want to lose this contact with the academic world. readiness is the most rewarding thing I’ve found my place between academia and for an industrial scientist.” industry,” he says.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE LOCATIONS: ROSTOCK

Prof. Matthias Beller Director of LIKAT (Rostock).

34 Prof. Robert Franke Head of hydroformy - lation innovation management at Evonik.

MUTUAL C ATALYSI S Evonik and the renowned Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) at Rostock University have maintained a highly successful cooperation for the past 20 years. We spoke to LIKAT Director Prof. Matthias Beller and Prof. Robert Franke, who manages the hydroformylation innovation management unit in Evonik’s Performance Intermediates business line, to find out more.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 LOCATIONS: ROSTOCK THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE

Photography: Bernd Thissen, Pablo Castagnola, Evonik, LIKAT Graphic: C3 Visual Lab can be considered for practical applications. applications. for considered be practical can to develop whereand to point they them the research basic in ideas unconventional test Beller: appealing cooperation? about the find you do what researcher, academic 1998. an As LIKAT since of director Evonik collaborationthe with as the pursued Mr. Beller, actively have you factor. alarge mained re consistently has hydroformylation but fields were added, other research of time, course Over the of cooperation. years 20 into turned initiative this that remarkable quite is It hydroformylation. on focused It in 1997. signed was agreement first the and of LIKAT, institution Rostock, apredecessor in Research Catalysis for Organic Institute of the Börner Armin Professor touchin with competitors. Ultimately,with Dr. got Wiese agreements cooperative had already ered were that consid institutes of the all almost butfore to asked look for partners, academic my predecessor, there Wiese, Diether was atoms. Dr. carbon four Klaus- with carbons hydro i.e. chemistry, for for C4 utilizing platform research the AG to wanted expand 1997, former of Hüls the Board Executive the either. In at started: Evonik how Here it is all Franke: unusual. highly it is because we don’tNot to because cooperate, but like Beller: started? first it when years twenty last to collaboration the expect you Did long duration. its and of scope its terms in both special, something is Evonik with longer. or However, cooperation terms our three-year for agreements framework clude we con cases, exceptional or In even less. for one year designed are most and panies, com with agreements cooperation forty Beller: companies? with LIKAT’s for collaboration typical agreements Mr. Beller, one-year are conditions. economic or changes personnel due for more to terms, example general in scrutiny under was cooperation the which in phases were there also eration. course, Of coop we extended our that satisfactory so always wereanswers The year? coming the together what do to we in and want research year, past of the were results the What tions: ques each two other asked we always and covered one year, usually agreements tion Franke: years? twenty past the in cooperation your reviewed have you often how honest, be Let’s I am fascinated by the opportunity to opportunity by the fascinated Iam that. expected No, at LIKAT nobody Yes. We generally maintain about Nobody would have predicted that have that would predicted Nobody About twenty times. The coopera The times. twenty About ------

can be considered for practical applications.” practical for considered be can ideas to and develop them to the point where they “I fascinated am by to the opportunity test new Evonik can now sepa now can Evonik which substances, secondary many and butaneless attractive the includes also flow this isomers, butene valuable to addition In into fuel components. crude oil components convert to refineries in used is which cracking, from fluidcatalytic stream amaterial of use make to technology Evonik a introduced 2015, In components. oil crude heavy of ing from the steam crack comes flows material these of One butane). butadiene,isomers, (butenecomponents C4 contain that ies flows from refiner material uses Evonik in Marl, production C4 integrated its In production C4 Integrated Prof. Beller Matthias the C4 components. components. C4 the 2-propylheptanol from MTBE, isononanol, and extracts Evonik es, Among other substanc column. 90-meter-high a is technology this of piece core The nology. tech new the with rate ELEMENTS #60 LOCATIONS: ROSTOCK

THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE - - - - - Before joining LIKAT, I worked both in ac Iworked LIKAT, in both Before joining transferred eight projects from the labo the from projects eight transferred Beller: happened?application into transfers such have often How practice. and application into transfer asuccessful when we manage me happy of knowledge.tion such It makes implementa to the see nice me, also but it is derstanding knowledge are important to un and of creating aspects science side, the the On industry. the in and settings ademic ties of catalysis research and to apply and the research of catalysis ties subtle about the of Mr.group to learn Beller the workin year first his spend will versity Uni Ph.D.complete me at Bochum his with who student will Adoctoral of collaboration: Franke: LIKAT? and Evonik between exchange personnel any there Is property rights. to be develop can intellectual goal Another research. of basic analysis careful without scale industrial on an up anew technology alot of lose moneyyou when can you start all, After asuccess. be also approach can technological a certain not to use best be it would that understanding the Reaching aspects. basic to research is partner of our Rather, expectation of our anew catalyst. complete basis on the production process to supply the LIKAT as such partner demic Franke: partner? cooperation the of role the is What and energy. moreuseresources of efficient better catalyst automatically means making a because as well, effect ecological positive a has always effect economic a positive sis, involves cataly collaboration our Since success. to contribute to Evonik’s financial Franke: researcher? industrial an as collaboration the from Mr. expect you do Franke, what over patents.130 filed Together, scale. ratory pilot to the we have In the past twelve years, we have twelve years, past the In We are currently testing anew form testing We currently are It would be naïve to expect an aca an to expect naïve It be would The purpose of the cooperation is cooperation the of The purpose

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and energy sector. energy and materials the as well as processes production chemical sustainable sciences, life include areas content year. Key every scale pilot trial indus the to process catalytic one or catalyst one least at of transfer the implement to is objective Its plications. and ap fundamentals of interface the on focuses LIKAT site. the at work researchers visiting and members staff 300 some Europe; in catalysis applied of area the in institutes research funded ly public largest the of one is Catalysis for Institute Leibniz The basic research oriented Application-

- - - 35 36 ed working at Evonik. Evonik. at working ed start LIKAT at trained 13 scientists year-long cooperation. twenty- their of course the in filed jointly ents number of pat the is >130 Hydroformylation studied substances and are toxically substances harmless. studied intensively most the among are plasticizers High-molecular parts. automotive various and coverings, floor elastic tarps, insulations, cable in used is 2PH of sis ba the on PVC Plasticized plasticizers. PVC producing for material astarting is which 2PH, of production the in step akey is butene of hydroformylation The (2PH)2-propylheptanol (CO gas H and synthesis and alkenes converts process This Hydroformylation droformylation processes at Evonik involve butenes, octenes, and dodecenes. and octenes, butenes, involve Evonik at processes droformylation Hy plasticizers. and medications, surfactants, for materials starting are which Evonik and LIKAT LIKAT and Evonik R who who +

C O + - -

H₂ Homogeneous catalyst Homogeneous C H 2-propylheptanol. With an annual produc for production of the process the establish to a position not in would have been Evonik LIKAT, of contributions research basic Without the highlight: one special is there Franke: of cooperation?standing the successes out the as highlight you would What that time. during corporation to go tonumber asingle Beller: at Evonik? full-time working started then LIKAT and at anyAre there who trained researchers us. Rostock with in batical of sab employees do akind could Evonik to reverse path: the thought given have also way. know-how this transferred We in have and Marl worked in at Evonik rarily employees have tempo a few LIKAT Quite new things. try and oldtion assumptions respective projects for a while. They ques They for projects awhile. respective the involved are in people young that fact the includes also ours as such cooperation Beller: conditions. industrial under order system the to study in facility testing at the up amini-plant set Marl in to twous foryears join will Then he O C acquired knowledge to a specific system. to knowledge aspecific acquired H O Yes, a total of 13 scientists, the largest largest the Yes, of scientists, 13 atotal The appeal of an academic-industrial an academic-industrial of appeal The From an economic perspective, perspective, economic an From R H C H C C O H H O O + 2 ) into aldehydes, aldehydes, ) into ELEMENTS #60 R C H LOCATIONS: ROSTOCK O H THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE - O O ------H H hydroformylation and with operando spec operando with and hydroformylation in a lot it. had of Wesuccess also pursuing not end up did Evonik reasons, strategic and For way scale. financial to pilot the the all system interesting highly a technologically However, own. our we were able to develop side on academic on the not have addressed we probably which would challenge, cial spe a was That reaction. pletely new for this were that com patents, ligands we used were protected systems by catalyst known scientifically the Because of Evonik. quest re at the 1,3-butadiene, we which studied Beller: scientist? a as perspective your from most out stand Mr. successes Beller, which conditions. reaction of selection the and analytics, kinetics, of ligands, properties the decomposition, on catalyst insights ous numer contributed they step, formylation hydro for this catalyst the not discover Dr. and Selent Börner did Detlef Professor by led team LIKAT the Although cesses. flow;from productpro other is a waste it aresidual in quantities relatively small in occurs 2-butene, which of droformylation hy involves the production process tanol Franke: 2-propylheptanolthe process? LIKAT to of contribution the was What Marl. production in C4 integrated of our chain value a key plays the role in also It of products Evonik. one largest of the is alcohol oftion up to tons, this 50,000 metric alkoxycarbonylations of olefins. That would of olefins. alkoxycarbonylations Beller: on? working currently are you what us with share you To can conclude, spectrums. the terpret to properly in required is this spectrums; IR resulting the in componentpure analysis in strides large We have particularly made control. for process scale industrial at the technology this for implementing requisite created a pre thus and do spectroscopy developed operan further has sor Ludwig Börner,by Professor Dr. Profes Selent, and at work. led team end, To the directly this conditions reaction real under catalysts the improvement, nowology observe we can to a method Thanks systems. to alternative option to the switch now has Evonik point, at some sharply element, increase should arare is which for price rhodium, able. the If remark quite context are this in achieved we performances catalyst the perspective, From ascientific ruthenium. and iridium on based systems alternative studied and for We decades. rhodium developedand on cobalt based catalysts using been has industry the reactions, carbonylation erally Beller: examples? afew us give you Can troscopy. One example is the telomerization of telomerization the is example One For hydroformylation and more gen more and For hydroformylation We are focusing primarily on A crucial step in our 2-propylhep our step in Acrucial

------ lysts, among others. lysts, cata hydroformylation assesses Evonik Marl in facilities autoclave its In

Photography: Lina Nikelowski Graphic: C3 Visual Lab - LOCATIONS: ROSTOCK LOCATIONS: ROSTOCK

allow us to leverage previously unused re- Telomerization sidual flows in the integrated C4 production, which in turn would lead to further Telomerization describes the dimerization of 1,3 economic and ecological improvements in dienes with the simultaneous addition of a nucleo- C4 chemicals. Recently we developed sev- philic agent, such as an alcohol. eral new technologically interesting catalyst systems for alkoxycarbonylation of [Pd] non-reactive alkenes. Some 14 patent appli- + MeOH OMe cations have already been filed. Franke: The project is going very well. We are now working to transfer the technology to the pilot scale. I am personally very sat- isfied with our past successes, although the Alkoxycarbonylation “The recipe for success work has so far been on the fundamental side. Perhaps that is the true recipe for suc- In this reaction, alkenes react with CO and an alco- in our cooperation: cess in our cooperation: Neither of us is ex- hol to carboxylic acid esters, which are required in Neither of us is clusively pursuing an individual academic the manufacture of cosmetics and plastics. or economic goal. As a basic researcher, Mr. exclusively pursuing an Beller also always keeps economic aspects O CO, MeOH, [Pd], H+ individual academic or in mind, while we as industrial researchers OMe can also appreciate the intellectual pleasure H economic goal.” of pure science. Prof. Robert Franke

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE WISH LIST

Prof. Christine Lang, founder and managing director of Organobalance GmbH and Prof. Joachim von Braun, director of the Center for Development Research at Bonn University, have co-chaired the Bioeconomy Council since September 2012. The 17 experts of this independent body advise the German government on the path to a bio-based economy and promote the future vision of the bioeconomy to broader society.

WHAT WE HOPE FOR FROM SCIENCE Christine Lang and Joachim von Braun THE BIOLOGIZATION OF THE ECONOMY Our survival, particularly our nourishment, depends on the health of nature and its ecosystems. We have to learn to regenerate them and, at the same time, use them sustainably for innovative products and processes. The revolutionary developments in the life sciences are paving the way for the necessary wave of innovation in industry and the economy. What we want in Germany is a large number of inspiring partnerships between basic research, applied research, citizens, and companies—across all disciplines, in fact.

Only by working together will we find answers to questions like these: What sustainable food systems will feed a growing world population? Can we design big cities that are livable on the basis of the principles of nature? Are we achieving the required resource efficiency through a bio-based recycling economy and new biological processes? Can our energy be obtained directly from solar energy? When science, industry, and the public all pull together, we come a big step closer to the vision of a sustainable bioeconomy.

ELEMENTS #60 THE EVONIK INNOVATION MAGAZINE WUNSCHZETTEL LESETIPPS

Impressum

Herausgeber Evonik Industries AG Dr. Ulrich Küsthardt, Christian Schmid Rellinghauser Str. 1–11 45128 Essen

SACHBÜCHER Objektleitung über duale Transformation, den Innovationswettlauf im Sport Urs Schnabel und nachwachsende Rohstoffe Beratung und Konzept Manfred Bissinger

Chefredaktion Dr. Karin Aßmann (V. i. S. d. P.)

Redaktion Annette Locher

Redaktionelle Mitarbeit Dr. Frank Frick Dr. Bernd Kaltwaßer Nadine Nösler Björn Theis Jörg Wagner Neue Strategien Neue Regeln Neue Chemie Chef vom Dienst Dr. Sebastian Kaiser

ie gelingt das Kunststück, echnoscience nennt Rayvon ermann Fischer und Horst Redaktionelle W ein Unternehmen auf dem T Fouché die Basis des modernen H Appelhagen ziehen Zwischen- Beratung aktuellen Markt richtig zu positio- Sports. Funktionelle Kleidung, bilanz zur grünen Chemie: Wie Tom Rademacher nieren und gleichzeitig Zukunfts- modernste Materialien und Bio weit ist der nachhaltige Einsatz Dr. Edda Schulze visionen zu entwickeln, die mit doping gäben ihm den entscheiden von Rohstoffen gediehen, wie viel Dr. Petra Thorbrietz dem jetzigen Produktspektrum den letzten Schliff. Fouché zeigt hat die Forschung bereits von den Wissenschaftlicher 39 vielleicht nichts mehr zu tun das an Fällen wie Oscar Pistorius, vielfältigen Syntheseprinzipien Beirat haben? Das US-Wirtschaftsmaga- Caster Semenya, Usain Bolt und der Natur gelernt? In Dialogform Dr. Felix Müller zin Forbes empfiehlt diese Neu Lance Armstrong. Ihre individuelle stellen die beiden Experten neueste Dr. Joachim Venzmer erscheinung kreativen Führungs- Leistung verblasse angesichts Entwicklungen vor und zeigen, Bildredaktion kräften. An Fallbeispielen wie eines Innovationswettlaufs, dass Pflanzen kein bloßer Rohstoff und Layout Adobe oder Netflix analysieren die der die Athleten schon längst über- sind, sondern durch ihre Synthese C3 Creative Code and Autoren duale Strategien, die sich holt habe. leistung selbst Standards liefern Content GmbH als erfolgreich erwiesen haben – könnten, an denen Wertschöpfung Agentur bislang, denn das Spiel der Disrup Rayvon Fouché: ansetzen kann. BISSINGER[+] GmbH tion geht weiter. Game Changer. The Technoscientific Medien und Revolution in Sports Hermann Fischer, Kommunikation Johns Hopkins University Press, Scott D. Anthony, Clark G. Gilbert, Horst G. Appelhagen: An der Alster 1 Baltimore 2017 Mark W. Johnson: Dual Transfor- Chemiewende. Von der intelligenten 20099 Hamburg mation: How to Reposition Today’s Nutzung natürlicher Rohstoffe [email protected] Business While Creating the Future Antje Kunstmann, München 2017 Druck Harvard Business Review Press, Griebsch & Rochol Boston 2017 Druck GmbH, Oberhausen

Copyright © 2017 by Evonik Industries AG, Essen. Nachdruck nur mit Genehmigung der Agentur. Der Inhalt gibt nicht in jedem Fall die Meinung des Her- ausgebers wieder. DAS COVER #60 Kontakt Die Nahrungsmittelindustrie steht vor der Herausfor- [email protected] derung, den Lebensmittelbedarf einer wachsenden, diversen und anspruchsvolleren Weltbevölkerung zu decken. Immer häufiger werden Lebensmittel dazu mit speziellen gesundheitsfördernden Substanzen an- gereichert. Evonik baut derzeit ein Portfolio auf, um Lebensmittel noch besser und gesünder zu machen. Zum Beispiel mit Advanced Food Ingredients, deren Wirksamkeit in unabhängigen wissenschaftlichen

Fotos: Maurice Weiss/Ostkreuz, PR (3) PR Weiss/Ostkreuz, Maurice Fotos: Studien nachgewiesen wurde.

ELEMENTS #60 DAS INNOVATIONSMAGAZIN VON EVONIK ELEMENTS #60 DAS INNOVATIONSMAGAZIN VON EVONIK ELEMENTS #60 OCTOBER 2017

* …HOW EVONIK’S ADVANCED FOOD INGREDIENTS MAKE AN IMPACT